Marriage
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Congratulations on your upcoming marriage!
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The sacrament of marriage is a visible sign of God’s love for the Church.
When a man and a woman are married in the Church, they receive the grace needed for a lifelong bond of unity. This is an exciting time in your life and we look forward to helping you plan and celebrate at St. Gabriel.
To get married in our church or chapel, we ask either that the bride or groom or their parents be registered members of St. Gabriel Church. If you have been considering joining our parish, we welcome you to our faith community!
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Marriage Preparation
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At St. Gabriel, couples should begin preparing for marriage at least 6 to 9 months before their wedding date. Preparation begins with a marriage preparation kickoff meeting where engaged couples meet one of our clergy, meet our marriage preparation team, and learn about the marriage preparation process. Couples planning weddings at St. Gabriel also will meet our wedding team.
Steps in our marriage preparation process and wedding resources and documents are provided below.
Preparing for marriage and for your wedding day is an exciting time! You are in our prayers.
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Marriage Preparation Steps
- 1. Register as parishioners
- 2. Reserve a wedding date
- 3. Attend marriage prep kickoff meeting
- 4. Take the FOCCUS questionnaire
- 5. Attend Alpha Pre-Marriage Course
- 6. Complete the Diocesan Marriage Preparation Class
- 7. Meet with clergy and team
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If the wedding will be at St. Gabriel, we ask that either that the bride or groom or their parents are registered members of St. Gabriel Church. If you have been considering joining our parish, we welcome you to our faith community!
Learn about joining our parish here
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Weddings are scheduled on Saturdays at 2:00 pm in the church or chapel. Rehearsals are scheduled on Fridays.
Reservations should not be considered confirmed until you have received an emailed confirmation from the parish office. We recommend that you secure optional dates from your reception venue first before checking with us on available wedding dates and times.
Contact Carolyn Tillman to select a wedding date
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Engaged couples attend an informative marriage preparation kickoff meeting at our church, held every other month.
At this meeting, you will:- Meet one of our priests
- Learn about the marriage preparation process and weddings at St. Gabriel
- Receive a packet of information including a marriage preparation checklist
- Complete preliminary forms
- Meet our staff members who support you in your preparation, rehearsal, and wedding day
- Meet other couples preparing for marriage
These meetings are held on the second or third Tuesday of the month in January, March, May, July, September and November at 6:30 pm.
Contact Carolyn Tillman to register for a kickoff meeting
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After attending our marriage preparation kickoff meeting, engaged couples complete the FOCCUS questionnaire and meet with a FOCCUS mentor couple to review results. You will receive information about this at our marriage preparation meeting.
The FOCCUS© Inventory is designed to help engaged couples appreciate their unique relationship, learn more about themselves, and discuss topics important to their lifelong marriage.
FOCCUS stands for Facilitate Open Couple Communication, Understanding, and Study.
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Pre-Marriage CourseOur four-session Pre-Marriage Course provides engaged couples with tools to build a strong and healthy relationship that lasts a lifetime. During each evening, you'll explore important issues that can get swept under the carpet in the rush of daily life, focusing on communication, conflict, commitment, connection, and adventure. You'll complete a 5th session on your own.
Pre-requisite:
Before signing up online below, you must have attended the marriage preparation kickoff meeting.
Pre-Marriage Course
Four Thursdays in a row
Choose from sessions held in January, May, June, and September
Date-night style, with dinner included
6:30 - 8:30 pm
Church building - Fellowship HallRegister online here
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Our diocese requires couples to attend the Diocesan Marriage Preparation Class. The full-day class is offered on one Saturday each month at different churches around the diocese.
The classes fill up, so please sign up as soon as possible.
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Individual meetings with members of the wedding team (wedding coordinator, musicians, etc.) and the priest/deacon are also part of marriage preparation at St. Gabriel.
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Wedding Planning Documents and Guides
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Wedding Policy Booklet
We recommend you read this document before you begin planning your wedding. Everything included will be reviewed when you meet with your wedding coordinator approximately six months before your wedding.
Church Wedding Policy Booklet
CHAPEL WEDDING POLICY BOOKLETPhotography/Videography Agreement
Our photography/videography agreement must be signed by your photographer/videographer and returned to the Wedding Coordinator at least 30 days before the wedding.
CHURCH PHOTOGRAPHY/VIDEOGRAPHY AGREEMENT
CHAPEL PHOTOGRAPHY/VIDEOGRAPHY AGREEMENTLiturgical Calendar & Flower Guide
Learn about the options we offer for flowers for your wedding ceremony and the colors of our liturgical (church calendar) year that may affect your wedding here.
Floral Calendar
Music
Our Associate Director of Worship will help you select appropriate music and musicians for your wedding.
Details and suggested selections with links
Fees
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Questions?
Contact Our Staff
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